baxter



(No Model.)

W. T. HURST. TRACK CLEANER.

No. 605,431. Patented June?, 1898.

i rares Nirnn r trice.

TO BERRY A. BAXTER, EMMETT C. BAXTER, AND EDININ D. BAXTER,

or sAMn rL'Acn rasoio()LEANEn.

SPECIFICATION forming Of Letters Patent No. 605,431, dated J' "une 7, 1898.` Application filed August 23, 1897. Serial No. 649,217. (No model.)

T0 all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIS TYLER I-IURsr, a' citizen of the United States, residing 'at Mans# field, in the county of Richland and Stateof Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Track-Cleaners; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and eX-` act description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to Which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the iigures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this speciiication My object is the provisionof an improved track-cleaner of lightand inexpensive construction adapted to be carried by the car and easily manipulated by theinotormanto bring the same to 1operative or inoperative position, as necessary. I e

A further object is the provision of a trackcleaner whose parts Will be capable of ready adjustment to insuref the proper position thereof whether the device be applied to a high or low car.

A still further object is to provide inde?V pendent track-cleaners for the two rails andnovel connections between the cleaners and the car, whereby they .are maintained in proper position during their operation and are adapted to yield independently when struck by an object or when an irregularity in the road-bed or rails is encountered. The foregoing and other objects are accom' plished by the provision of certain improved devices and novel combinations of parts, such as will appear more fully hereinafter and will be pointed out in the claims.'

- In the accompanying drawings, `Figure l is a longitudinal section of a car equipped with my invention, dotted lines representing the parts when it is in inoperative position; Fig. 2, a detailed perspective of 4the 'complete in;` vention detached from the' carf; Fig. 3, detail views of the connections between the brace rods and springs and they cleaningblades; Fig. 4, a detailpview showing the manner of connecting the shoe to the blade; Fig. 5, detail views of the connectionbetween a spring and the rock-shaft; Fig. 6, a detail view of the cleaning-shoe, showing the longitudinal and transverse dovetailed portion;

and Fig. 7, a detail of the means for locking the` pull-rod.

A The platform-sills l afford a connection for a fixed cross-bar 2. A plu rality of rearwardly and downwardly extending hangers 3 are properly secured to the cross-bar, and a rockshaft 4, preferably of gars-pipe, Vfor` the sake of lightness, is journaled in'said hangers. Two couplings 5 have bifurcated portions which loosely straddle the two intermediate,hangers and are free to turn on the rock-shaftindependently thereof. Two downwardly-divergiug rearwardly-extending brace-rods 6, preferably'of gas-pipe, have their upper ends threadedinto couplings 5. At the ends of the rock-shaft are located separable couplingboxes 7. (Showii in detail inFig.' 5.)) Each box'consists of two sections S and 9, detachably connected togetherby boltshlOV and both provided with a longitudinal slot ll, which receives the hanger 3, while they Ahave portions 12, which clamp firmly around the rockshaft, and said"`boXes turn with the shaft. The section 8 is provided witha grooveand `recess 13'in its inner face. I employ two dat springs 14,4 which have their ends 15 bent at right angles t'o'their length, and the'upper bent end of each springis fitted in the grooves and recesses of the section S. I/Vhen the sections 9 are in position, the ends of the springs are firmly clamped and the sections themselves secured tothe rock-shaft. 'Independent sheet-metal cleaning-blades 16 are e1nployed, said blades being disposed vertically directly over the rails of the track. Castings 17 are secured to the lower: edges of. said blades andare provided with dovetail seats, cleaning-shoes V18 being fitted snugly therein and adapted to slide on the traclerails. (See Figf 4.) A clear advantage is gained by providingdetachable connectionsat these points, as the cleaning-shoes can be readily removed when worn out and 'replaced by others.

Reference is to be had to Fig. 3 for a detailed disclosure of the adjustable devices for connecting the brace-rods and vsprings to the cleaning-blades. Adjustment members 19 are connected to the cleaning-blades, said members having open links 2O and 2l at their opposite ends, provided with serrated faces 22. Cast integral with each member is a IOO coupling-box 23, into which the lower end of the brace-rod is screwed. That face of the member which lies neXt the cleaning-blade is slotted inwardly at 24, and there is a shoulder 25. The lower end portion of the spring I4 is fitted in the slot and the bent end 15 vmade to abut on the shoulder, a key 26 being employed to hold said end against the shoulder. This affords a strong detachable connection. The adjustment members are pivoted lintermediate their ends on bolts 27, and bolts 28, passing through the open links, together with serrated washers 29, afford means for clamping the said members in any desired position, sothat the lower edges of the blades can be brought to horizontal position and the invention rendered adaptable to a car of any height. A pull-rod 30, having a rack 3l and a handle, extends vertically through the carplatform ,in convenient position for manipulation by the motorman.

A locking-plate 32 is secured to the car-platform, and the pull-rod passes freely through the same. (See Fig. 7.) A leaf-spring 33, secured to this plate, bears on the pull-rod and normally holds the teeth of the same in locked engagement with the inner edge of the plate. It is clear, however, that by pressing the said rod laterally its rack can be disengaged, so that the rod may be raised or lowered. A connecting-rod 34, preferably of gas-pipe, is pivoted to the pull-rod at 35 and connected to t-he rock-shaft by a coupling 36. (See Fig. 6.) This coupling has serrated jaws 37, which embrace the rock -shaft and are clamped thereagainst by a bolt 3S. The end of the connecting-rod is screwed into the coupling.

The operation may be brieiiy described as follows: The pull-rod is first disengaged from the locking-plate and then pulled upwardly, whereupon the rock-shaft will be turned and the cleaning blades and the shoes forced downwardly by the springs, the brace-rods being loose on the rock-shaft when the pullrod is released. After the cleaning devices have been suitably positioned the spring 33 causes the rod to lock. The springs hold the cleaning devices yieldingly down on the rails, and when an object is struck or an irregularity in the road-bed or rails encountered they give or yield upwardly, the brace-rods meanwhile turning on the rock-shaft. It is apparent that this yielding action in no way affects the rock-shaft, and hence the cleaning devices for the other rail are not disturbed, but continue their operations during the foregoing movement. As soon as the obstacle is passed the spring ret-urns the blade and shoe to their proper positions. I have heretofore described how the adjustment of the parts can be had. The pull-rod is normally depressed andthe cleaning devices elevated and out of the way, but when lowered they are well adapted to remove any ice or snow from both rails. Owing to the construction and connections of the different parts quick and easy detachment or assembly thereof can be had. I nd it extremely advantageous to construct many ofthe parts of gas-pipe, as previously set forth, as the structure is thereby rendered much lighter and stronger.

It is obvious that many slight changes could be resorted to in carrying out my invention, and it is to be understood, therefore, that I consider myself entitled to make any variations in construction coming within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- l. In a track-cleaner, the combination with a cleaning device, of a leaf-spring securely connected to said cleaning device and also connected to the car, an independent brace securely connected to the cleaning device and pivoted to the car, and a lever mechanism for actuating the cleaning device.

j 2. In a track-cleaner, the combination with independent cleaning devices, of a rock-shaft, leaf-springs secured to the rock-shaft and to the cleaning devices, and affording yielding connection for the latter, independent bracerods secured to the cleaning devices and loosely hung on the rock-shaft, and means for turning the rock-shaft and locking the same, whereby the cleaning devices can be raised or lowered simultaneously, and are adapted for independent action when in operative position, substantially as described.

3. In atrack-cleaner, the combination with a vertically-disposed cleaning-blade, of an adt justmentmember pivoted thereto and having an open serrated link, a bolt projecting from the blade and passing loosely through the link, a serrated washer on the bolt adapted to engage with the link and a connection between the adjustment member and the car, substantially as described.

4. In a track-cleaner, the combination with a cleaning-blade, of an adjustment member connected thereto and having a slot and a shoulder, a rod connected to the car and fitted in the slot, and provided with a bent end which abuts on the shoulder, and means for preventing the displacement of the rod, substantially as described.

5. In a track-cleaner, the combination with a cleaning-blade, of an adjustment member detachably connected thereto which has its face lying next the blade slotted inwardly and provided with a shoulder, a bar connected to the car and having a portion fitted in the slot and abutting on the blade and its end bent and lying against the shoulder, and a key passed into the member and fitted against the bent end aforesaid to prevent displacement thereof, substantially as described.

6. In a track-cleaner, the combination with a cleaning-blade of a rock-shaft, a couplingbox consisting of sections detachably connected together and clamped around the rockshaft, one of which has a slot and recess in its inner face, and a rod connected to the cleaning-blade and having its other end fitted IOO IIO

9. In a track-cleaner, the combination with a cleaning device, of a rock-shaft, a rod connecting the rock-shaft to the cleaning device, a pull-rod, means for automatically locking said pull-rod, and a connecting-rod pivoted to the pull-rod and having serrated jaws that tightly embrace the rock-shaft, and are fastened together, substantially as described.

In Witness whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIS TYLER I-IURST. Vitnesses:

EMMETT C. BAXTER, LEE SEWELL. 

